Taiwan revises visa policy to attract visitors from Southeast Asia

Starting 1 August 2016, citizens of Thailand and Brunei will be able to visit Taiwan for 30 days without applying for a tourist visa in an one-year pilot program. Citizens of Brunei are already able to receive visa on arrival and the eVisa. In addition, citizens of Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Vietnam who have received a visa from Australia, Canada, Japan, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, the Schengen Area, the UK, or the US within the last 10 years will be able to visit Taiwan visa-free for 30 days by going through an online verification process starting 1 September 2016. For more information, contact Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Bureau of Consular Affairs or the nearest Taiwan embassy/consulate/representative office.

Citizens of Malaysia and Singapore are already able to visit Taiwan for 30 days without a visa. Taiwan’s transportation ministry estimates an annual increase of 280,000 visitors from ASEAN countries after the new visa policy is implemented.